Bob Marley will be the subject of a UK court case this week more than 30 years after his death.
This landmark trial now begins on Tuesday 13th May 2014 in the Chancery Division of the High Court, in London, before Richard Meade QC.
Plaintiffs – Cayman Music; Defendants – Chris Blackwell’s Blue Mountain Music.
The Trial is over a number of important titles, the most significant of which is ‘No Woman, No Cry’, Bob Marley’s most famous song.
Cayman Music is suing Blue Mountain Music for misattribution and diversion of income, amongst other things, in an attempt to retrieve ‘No Woman, No Cry’ and other songs.
Those attending on behalf of Cayman Music include Mark St John, a longstanding and successful adviser in the retrieval of rights, and Ben and Brian Scholfield, owners of the publishing company.
Cayman is represented by Briffa’s, a small, boutique firm of solicitors run principally by Margaret Briffa, who has retained Hugo Cuddigan as advocate. Cuddigan is the man who retrieved the rights to ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’ for Matthew Fisher.
Chris Blackwell’s company is represented by Messrs Russells, a very successful UK music firm with a huge CV. They have retained the eminent music barrister Sir Ian Mill QC..
Cayman are the original, long-standing publishers of Bob Marley, the most successful black artist of all time. They represented his catalogue from 1967 to late 1976. The Defendants are the then publishing arm of Island Records and sometime publisher of various Bob Marley titles, from the mid 1970s to later in his career. Both publishers retain some of Bob Marley’s work to the present day. Bob Marley returned to ex-manager Danny Sims (who owned Cayman) prior to his death.
The songs under dispute are as follows:
Crazy Baldhead; Johnny Was; Natty Dread; No Woman No Cry; Positive Vibration; Rastaman Vibration; Rat Race; Rebel Music (Road Block); So Jah She; Them Belly Full; Want More; War; Who The Cap Fit.
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